Powell reaches magical mark

27 November 2009 11:59

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Cardiff continue their British & Irish Cup campaign with a visit to Sharmans Cross Road to play Championship club Birmingham & Solihull on Saturday (kick-off 2pm).

It will be a red letter day for No 8 Adam Powell as he plays his one-hundredth game for the Blue & Blacks. Club captain Rhys Shellard returns to lead a team that shows nine changes in the starting line-up from the side that beat Pontypridd 22-16 in the opening pool game.

With Gareth Davies called-up for Wales Sevens' duty, Chris Anderson starts at fly-half and player-coach Lee Jarvis provides cover on the bench. Jamie Ringer and Jake Thomas are unavailable because of injury and top-try scorer Ryan Howells is rested.

Cardiff team manager Gafyn Cooper said, "We were very pleased with our winning start to the campaign against Pontypridd last week and that has given us the perfect platform on which to build in this exciting competition.

"Cross-border fixtures are always popular with players and fans and we are looking forward to revisiting the midlands where, hopefully, quite a few exiles living in the area will come along to support us."

Cardiff have played Birmingham & Solihull twice in pre-season matches in recent years. In 2005 they went down 15-75 at Sharmans Cross Road in a match which featured different line-ups in each half; two years ago the Blue & Blacks won a more structured fixture 46-21 at the Arms Park.

Merthyr secured the league and cup double on Saturday after adding the Principality Premiership title with one game to spare, just two weeks after lifting the National Cup title at Principality Stadium.

More than 50 school, college, club, social and representative teams from all over Wales enjoyed one of the best experiences of their lives over the last fortnight, playing a final or community match on the Principality Stadium pitch.

The WRU Plate final had a lot to live up to after a stunning Bowl final, but Brynmawr and Nant Conwy produced another corker. The north Walians saw their 19-7 lead evaporate as Brynmawr stormed to a 50-29 victory

Porthcawl and Pembroke served up a real thriller in the WRU Bowl final at Principality Stadium on Sunday. Pembroke trailed 27-5 before staging a remarkabe comeback but Porthcawl had the final say with an injury time penalty to earn a 33-31 victory.

Nant Conwy head coach Kevin Thomas and Ifan Jones look forward to Sunday's WRU National Plate final where they say it is a 'massive day out for the club and community' as they prepare to tackle Brynmawr at Principality Stadium

Merthyr coach Dale McIntosh and second row Craig Locke look to draw on their experiences playing in the WRU National Cup Final to help Merthyr lift the title for the first time this Sunday when they face Newport at Principality Stadium.

More than 250 members of Girlguiding Cymru recently added a Rugby Participation Badge to their collection by taking part in a fun festival at Cardiff Met. The WRU is working with Girlguiding Cymru to provide new opportunities for girls and make connections with the girls-only rugby clusters around Wales.